FEAR NOT!

Today's affirmation from A Year In The Now...

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I have the nature of God in me which produces the courage to face all of my fears, and to overcome them. He has not given me a spirit of fear, and there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear! Greater is He that is in me, than he who is in the world!


Today I will not be afraid to embrace change. I will not be afraid to tell the truth. I will not be afraid to be myself. I will not be afraid to accept a challenge. I will not be afraid to try something new. I will not be afraid to listen to a different point of view. I will not be afraid to give my opinion.


Today I will not be afraid to try again after I have failed at trying something. I will not be afraid to admit when I am wrong. I will not be afraid to believe again, even when I have been greatly disappointed. I will not be afraid to be vulnerable. I will not be afraid of rejection. I will not be afraid of bad news.




Today I will not be afraid to be great at something. I will not be afraid to believe in myself. I will not be afraid to learn from a mistake. I will not be afraid of the devil or of demons. I will not be afraid of death or of hell. I will not be afraid of the end of the world or "signs of the times." I will not be afraid that I won't make it. I will not be afraid of what I don't understand.


Today I will not be afraid to go to the doctor. I will not be afraid of disease. I will not be afraid of the symptoms in my body. I will not be afraid to grow old. I will not be afraid that I am unloved. I will not be afraid of pain. I will not be afraid of being talked about or falsely accused. I will not be afraid of poverty or lack. I will not be afraid that I can't pay my bills. I will not be afraid of tragedy.


Today I will not be afraid of added responsibility. I will not be afraid of success. I will not be afraid of promotion. I will not be afraid of having a nervous breakdown or of losing my mind. I will not be afraid of losing a loved one. I will not be afraid to be alone. I will not be afraid of the dark or of nightmares.


Today I decide to live fear-free, and what fears I do have remaining I will use as a catalyst to unleash my super-powers (when I am weak, then I am strong)!

Today I will keep my mind stayed on Him, so that He may keep me in perfect peace, and today I will live in the now!

Father, I thank You that I do not have to be afraid of anything today! In Jesus’ name, amen.

KEEP BELIEVING!

Today's affirmation from A Year In The Now...

"[For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped on in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised . . . ."
(Romans 4:18 – AMP)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because my ability to walk by faith and not by sight enables me to dare to do what hasn't been done before. God has called me to be a pioneer and a visionary, so I must keep believing, no matter what things look like in the natural realm. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, and His witness in my inner man propels me to fulfill all the prophecies spoken over my life!


Today I will repent of any religious attitudes that remain in me, refusing to revere the past, as I recognize new realms of revelation. I make the decision to live this day in the now, because no matter what report I hear from the religious, who are rebellious to the realities of Christ, I realize that these are the good "new" days, and they are getting better, because the best is yet to come!


Today I will not be afraid of the radical change that comes from living in the now. The fire that is shut up in my bones is ignited by the Holy Ghost, and He is effective in all of His endeavors to establish and enlighten me.


Today I will keep believing as I see the plan for my life unfold. Even if I don't know the next step to take, I remember that Abraham went out, not knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8), so I move with God in faith and trust for His moment-by-moment direction. In Him I move.


Today I will listen for God's voice, for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!


Today I will meditate His Word, in an effort to locate the gifts of faith which He has imparted to me.



Today I will be glad that change is on the horizon, and that I am not frozen in time so that I am unable to accept it. Today, when I pray, "Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," I will really mean it from the bottom of my heart – I will pray it in faith! I want heaven to change this earth, and I will continue in my believing to see that God's Word is performed in my surroundings. Even if everybody else in the world gives up on their faith today, I will keep on keeping on, because I have come too far to turn back now! Today my faith will put me over, and today I will live in the now!

By faith, in Jesus’ name, I will keep believing today!

RISK more than others think is safe...Dr. King said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."...in Hebrews 11 it says that Abraham was called out of a familiar place (his comfort zone) and sent somewhere NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOING...if you're going to take the road less travelled, you're going to have to remember that God has not given you a spirit of fear (intimidation), but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind...recklessness can lead to destruction, but risk-taking is what faith is all about...stop worrying about what others think is safe...

CARE more than others think is wise...love never fails, and one reason that it doesn't is that it's not confined to the limits of logic...go back and read Paul's description of the God-kind of love in I Corinthians 13 (read it in several translations to get the full effect), and tell me that anything about what he said there is logical...love and care and compassion and empathy and understanding are all illogical...Jesus talked about a whole new way to love, and said that the validity of all the law and the prophets was based entirely on how that love is expressed...stop being bound by what others think is wise...

DREAM more than others think is practical... George Bernard Shaw said, “Some men see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say 'Why not?”...if you're a dreamer who expects to see his or her dreams manifested in this lifetime, you're going to have to become accustomed to people telling you that your dreams are nonsense...you also have to develop the skill to completely ignore them...the Scriptures tell us that there is safety in the multitude of counselors, but dreamers don't live in the safety zone...God wants to do even more through you than you can ask or think...why settle for what others think is practical?...

EXPECT more than others think is possible...I posted about this a few days ago, but again I say that whatever is going on in your mind is what you are attracting to yourself...we are like magnets...like attracts like...you become AND attract what you think...every thought has a frequency, and sends out a magnetic energy...yesterday at Body Builders and last night at church there was a lot of revelation flowing about the power of agreement...more is coming Sunday on that subject...when you connect with a community of other risk-taking, caring dreamers who have a spirit of expectancy (like CITN), you enter a whole new field of possibility...it makes it much easier to stop being preoccupied with what some others think is impossible...walk in an attitude of expectancy today...anything can happen!

Don't Worry About the "HOW"

"What this power is, I cannot say. All I know is that it exists."
- Alexander Graham Bell

Your job is not to worry about the "How"...Mary asked the angel "How can these things be, seeing that I have not been with a man?"...but his explanation to her was still above and beyond anything that she could ASK or THINK...so she simply responded with "Be it done to your servant according to your word"...the "How" will show up out of the commitment and belief in the "What"...

The Hows are the domain of the universe, and of the Creator/God Who spoke it into existence...the limitless heavens declare the glory of God...the universe always knows the quickest, fastest, most harmonious way between you and your dream...

If you turn it over to the universe, you will be surprised and dazzled by what is delivered...this is where miracles happen...take it outside the limits of the thought realm...let go and let God...

Turn it over to the universe (the "one song") daily..."casting all your care upon Him"...believing/seeing/expecting should never be a chore...

Feel exhilarated by the whole process...high...happy...in tune...Abraham "waxed strong" (became virile again in his old age) by giving glory to God, even though it was a while before he saw the full manifestation of the promise...in other words, it's very important to simply enjoy the journey...

The only difference between people who are really living this way is they have habituated ways of being..."be not conformed to the world (the natural), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind"...

They remember to do it all the time..."give us this day our DAILY bread"...

Create pictures of what you want to attract (a Vision Board, a list of things, a transcript of prophecies spoken over your life, etc.)...Jacob used spotted and speckled rods to create a visual image in front of cows...he made Joseph a coat of many colors so that his son could get a picture of his best self-image, and ultimately internalize his dreams...

Every day look at your picture(s) and get into the feeling state of already having acquired these wants...some people call that "fake it 'til you make it"...God calls it faith, and faith involves visualization...to Joshua He said, "See! I have given you the city", when, in the natural realm, nothing could have been further from the truth...

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming
attractions."
- Albert Einstein

Decide what you want...nothing is more potent than the power of a decision...believe you can have it...believe you deserve it (this is the deal-breaker for most people because of a self-imposed sense of unworthiness)...Paul said, "Do not be alienated from God IN YOUR MIND"...believe it's possible for you...

Close your eyes and visualize having what you already want..."your old men will dream dreams, you young men will see visions"...embrace the feeling of having it already...

Focus on being grateful for what you do have already..."in everything by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known"...enjoy it! Then
release it into the universe...the universe will manifest it...

"Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve"
- W. Clement Stone

Yes, You Can!

COME TO THE EDGE

Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and He pushed them,
And they flew.

- Christopher Logue

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]...To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).
(Ephesians 3:20, 21 - AMP)

MkITN VI, Verses 1 - 13

1. Then Jesus left there and went to His hometown of Nazareth, accompanied by His disciples.

2. And when the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were utterly amazed and astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get all this? What is the source of the intelligence, insight and wisdom which He has obviously acquired? And how has this wisdom given Him the ability to work these mighty miracles?

3. Isn't He just a local carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son...the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Don't His sisters live right here in the neighborhood with us? Who in the world does He think He is?" And they were offended that He attempted to be something that, in their opinion, He was not...the natural knowledge of Him was an unavoidable roadblock to their being able to acknowledge His authority...and so they just shut down on Him, mentally and emotionally.

4. But Jesus said to them, "You know, only in his hometown, among his own relatives, friends and acquaintances, is a prophet without honor."

5. And because of their limited collective perception of Him, He could not do any miracles there...at least none of His more impressive manifestations of power. He was just able to lay His hands on a few sick people, in order to help them feel a little better.

6. And He was astounded at their unbelief...really surprised by their lack of faith in Him. But He let it go, and went around the surrounding villages and continued teaching.

7. And He called to Him the Twelve, and began to send them out on their own, in pairs, as His personal ambassadors. He also gave them authority and power over rebel spirits, and any other evil opposition.

8. And He instructed them to basically take nothing with them on their journey...no external equipment...so that they would have to rely, solely, on the internal gifts which He had imparted to them.

9. He allowed them to wear their sandals, but told them not to even take a change of clothes with them, wanting them to keep it simple, and to learn to use their own faith for their self-preservation.

10. And He encouraged them to make real connections with the people to whom they would minister, telling them, "Wherever you go into a house, just stay there until you leave that area.

11. But if any community will not receive, embrace and welcome you...if they refuse to listen to you...then get out of there. And when you depart, make a grand gesture of shaking off the dust from their streets that is on your feet, for a visible testimony against them."

12. And when this unlikely and somewhat limited group of men hit the road under His authoritative command, they preached a powerful and urgent message, joyfully proclaiming the possibility of a radical life-change.

13. And their message was effective...rebel spirits were expelled everywhere they went, and they brought wellness and wholeness to the sick, anointing them, and healing them, spirit, soul and body.

MkITN II

1. A few days later Jesus returned to Capernaum, and, as was typical, the word got out that He was staying at someone's house.

2. And so when it became publicly known whose house it was, people started gathering there...so many, in fact, that there wasn't room for all of them, not even around the doors. So everyone just stood wherever they could, practically piling in on top of one another, while He was inside discussing the Word.

3. Then four men came to the location, carrying a paraplegic on a stretcher. They had picked the man up and brought him there with the intention of getting Him to Jesus.

4. But the crowd around the house was so thick and impenetrable that there was no way for even one of them to get through. So they climbed up on the roof and dug through it directly above Him. And when they had made a large enough opening, they let down the man's stretcher through it.

5. And when Jesus saw the boldness of their faith, the compassion that they had for their paralyzed friend, along with their undaunted determination and spontaneous ingenuity, He stopped what He was doing and immediately acknowledged them. But He said something quite unusual and unexpected to the paralyzed man...instead of speaking to his obvious physical condition, He said to him, "My son, all of your sins are completely forgiven and removed from you!"

6. Well, some of the local religious scholars happened to be there in the crowd, and when they heard these words, they started whispering among themselves, saying,

7. "Wait a minute...He can't talk that way! That's total blasphemy! God and only God has the power and authority to forgive sins!"

8. Jesus, of course, knew what they were thinking and saying...He had made this statement to evoke such a reaction from them...so He said, "Why do you have such a problem with this?

9. I mean, which is simpler...to say to the paraplegic, 'I forgive your sins,' or to say to him, 'Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking'?

10. I'll answer the question for you, and at the same time make it clear to you that the Son of Man is authorized, beyond the shadow of doubt, to do either, or both...and to reveal that the word of forgiveness and the word of healing are basically the same thing!" Then He focused on the paralyzed man, and said to him,

11. "Get up! Pick up your stretcher, carry it out of this house, and walk home!"

12. And instantly the man got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out as Jesus had commanded, with God and everyone there watching him. The religious scholars were speechless, but everybody else there was absolutely amazed. They started praising God, saying, "We have never in our lives seen anything like this!"

13. After this, Jesus went out beside the lake again, and a large crowd came to Him there, and He began to teach them.

14. When He finished, He took a walk, and as He strolled along He saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax collector's booth. People typically avoided the tax collector, if at all possible, going out of their way to walk as far as they could from his booth...but Jesus went right up to him with no hesitation, and said to him, "Follow me!" This bold action on Jesus' part was so unprecedented and surprising, that Levi just got up and followed Him.

15. That night Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, and many other tax collectors (who usually were never invited to dinner parties) were there, along with many other people who had the reputation of being sinners (and were seemingly always at a party)...all eating with Him and His disciples, enjoying lively conversation, and having a good time. At this point in Jesus' ministry there was quite a large, eclectic group that followed Him.

16. When the religious leaders, namely, the Pharisees, saw Him openly socializing with and befriending this strange mix of characters...all disreputable for different reasons...they asked His disciples: "Why does He unashamedly eat with tax collectors and sinners? Doesn't He know that He is being seen with all the wrong people?"

17. On hearing this, Jesus quickly shot back, "It's not the healthy ones who need a doctor, but those who need healing. You might as well know that I have not come to call the ones you call righteous, but rather the ones that you call sinners."

18. Now John's disciples, in contrast to those who were following Jesus, were intense and very serious, and they and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people who noticed the difference came and asked Jesus, "Why is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but Yours are not?"

19. Jesus calmly answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is celebrating with them? They can't do it as long as He, the Guest of Honor, is still at the party.

20. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then and only then will they fast.

21. Look...I'm giving you a whole new way to think about these things. No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, do they? No, because if they do, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear even worse.

22. And to further illustrate my point...you know that people do not pour new wine into old wineskins. That's because, if they do, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined and unusable. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins....new garments...new wineskins...new thoughts...new perspectives...that's what I'm talking about!

23. But old wineskins (old ways of thinking) aren't so easily done away with. Case in point, one particular Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and His disciples were walking along with Him. At a certain point they became hungry, and without giving it a thought, began to pick some heads of grain there in the field and started eating them.

24. The ubiquitous and ever-vigilant Pharisees were scandalized by this, and said to Him, "Look...look...Your men are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath! Why would they do such a thing?"

25. Jesus just looked at them for a minute and then said, "Gentlemen, have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry and in need?

26. Go look it up...in the days of Abiathar the High Priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. Not only that...he also gave some to his companions to eat."

27. Then He said, "Don't you get it? The Sabbath was made for people...people weren't made for the Sabbath! You need to align your priorities with what is actually important to God!"

28. And if that bit of new wine was difficult for them to swallow, He made it even more challenging for their old wineskin-mindset by saying, "I can say this with all confidence because the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath!"

Just Do It! (And Then Some...)

____________

Later that day (currently 22 comments)...

Yesterday River wrote this:

Man, Bishop, you've done more traveling in one year than most of us would do in a life time and yet you still keep in touch with all of us. Thanks & Welcome Home

Thanks, R., your acknowledgment meant a lot to me...

Hey bloggers,

Do you think it's too early to put my holiday playlist on the blog?

_____________

Even later (currently 26 comments)...

Bishop,

I had to send this to you. One morning at Virginia Beach I opened the door to the balcony to look out at the ocean and had to rub my eyes… “Jesus is that you?”

Pastor Nancy

Thanks, P. Nancy...

Hope 2 C U all ITB 2nite!

It's A New Day!

Hey bloggers,

Thanks for the expressions of faith and the feedback from today's service (currently 25 comments)...

I'm writing this in my office a few minutes before the beginning of the Sunday night sacrament service, and I am still meditating on a Scripture that I referred to this morning:

Now faith is an assumption of what is being expected, a conviction concerning matters which are not being observed; for in this the elders were testified to. By faith we are apprehending the eons to adjust to a declaration of God, so that what is being observed has not come out of what is appearing.
(Hebrews 11:1-3 - CLNT)

Man, I love that! Faith is as ASSUMPTION of what is being EXPECTED!

What are you expecting? Are you living as though you are assuming that it's going to happen? Remember...love HOPES ALL THINGS!

The word of God is alive!

Gotta go...service is about to start...

Later.